Editorial

Modern batteries pack power, potential danger

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Years ago, a rumor spread that a railroad welder was killed or seriously injured when sparks from a welder ignited the butane in a plastic disposable lighter in his pocket.

It turned out not to be true, and the railroad involved spent years trying to track down and squelch the rumor. While that specific story was false, it is true the butane is a flammable liquid and should be treated with caution and respect.

Now comes a similar, updated story but one that apparently is true. And, with millions of cellular phones sold each year, something we all should be concerned about.

According to a story by The Associated Press, a California man is in the UC Davis Medical Center with second- and third-degree burns to his upper body, back, right arm and right leg, suffered when the cellular phone in his pocket ignited his nylon and polyester clothes.

The fire then spread to a plastic chair and set off a sprinkler system that probably saved the man's life, giving the fire department time to arrive and rescue him.

We all enjoy the benefits of modern lithium-ion and lithium-polymer rechargeable batteries, which give us hours of "talk time" on our cellular phones and long laptop computer sessions, unplugged from any power source.

But we need to remember that packing that much energy into a small package can be dangerous if the battery is damaged or mistreated.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns against using incompatible cellular batteries and chargers. Lithium batteries have completely different charging requirements than older types of rechargable batteries.

Other tips:

* Don't let a battery out of the phone to come into contact with metal objects such as coins, keys or jewelry.

* Don't crush, puncture or smash the battery as this can cause an internal short-circuit, resulting in overheating.

* Avoid dropping the cell phone, which potentially can damage the battery as well as the phone. If you suspect damage to the phone or battery, have it checked out at a service center.

* Don't put the phone in very hot places such as near a cooking surface, appliance, iron or radiator.

* Don't get your phone or battery wet. Even if they dry out and appear to operate normally, the circuitry could slowly corrode and pose a safety hazard.

* Read and follow the battery instructions in the user's guide.

And, properly dispose of and recycle your phone and batteries. The Red Willow County Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility on South Street in McCook is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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